Patterning Community (2019)
Patterning Community was an environment inspired by the Gee’s Bend quilts on view as part of the exhibition Souls Grown Deep: Artists of the American South. Installed in the Perelman Building, at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the environment was created especially for Art Splash.
Donated and found fabrics--including jackets, curtains, sheets, and furniture covers--were used to create the 102 sewn triangles that made up the dome cover, seat covers, and coiled bowls inside. Approximately 4,000 strips of fabric were arranged and sewn referencing the Housetop and Bricklayer pattern variations frequently used by Gee’s Bend artists in their quilting.
In keeping with the Gee’s Bend tradition of quilting circles, I worked with 14 people to cut, iron, and sew each quilted triangle.
Special thanks to Tim Eads, Tiernan Alexander, Terrie Eads, Alyce Graham Stiles, Matthew Stiles, Angela Schad, Kate Garman, Amy Cousins, Windy Sengsatheuane, Jennifer Cousins, Skye Rayburn, Rose DeBoer, Chrissy Scolaro, and Kate Farqhar.
Additional thanks to Caitlin Deutsch (Family and Studio Programs, PMA) for organizing this Art Splash project and associated community workshops.
Photography by Joy O. Ude and Love Me Do Photography